When ESPN first brought in Doris Burke to their studio in 1991, she had already proven her worth calling collegiate basketball games and then WNBA’s New York Liberty games on MSG Network. Her sharp and informative comments along with her own perspective as a former NCAA basketball player helped her to the 2024 NBA Finals broadcasting crew with Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson leaving, becoming the first woman to serve as a television game analyst for a championship final. However, one thing became a glaring flaw for the Hall of Famer– she was more comfortable in a 2-member team, unlike her promotion to ESPN’s top 3-member team reserved for marquee events like the NBA Finals. But she still shone some silver linings.

This postseason, Burke has pointed out multiple historical and intriguing trivia for the players. Remember her pointing out how Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was “as aggressive as we’ve seen the MVP” when he posted 19 points on 18 shots by halftime in Game 1 of the NBA Finals? Still, some of her comments have also raised eyebrows for the viewers. One that made most rounds was her “free throw merchant” quip in Minnesota. And if rumors of ESPN taking her off Mike Breen’s team didn’t already have enough backing, her latest take during Game 3 of the NBA Finals just might have done the job for her.

After some stellar performance by their starters, Indiana Pacers found a win in the NBA Finals with the help of their bench. And one reserve in particular that walked away writing his name in history of the league was, most unexpectedly, T.J. McConnell. Today, he became the only reserve in NBA Finals history, since steals became an official stat in 1973-74, to have at least 10 points, five steals and five assists in a Finals game. Interestingly, if he walks through any city in the country, barring die-hard NBA fans and Indianapolis, no one would recognize him or his efforts. Surprisingly, Burke too had an air ball on him, and the thick air of controversy around the Hall-of-Famer analyst only got worse.

Although McConnell was every inch amazing on both sides of the ball throughout the Pacers’ run in the NBA Finals, Burke mentioned, “They have made T.J. McConnell a non-factor until now.” Just minutes before she said that, he had 3 assists in 4 minutes.

The more surprising part of this statement was that not only did the reserve guard add 10 points, 5 assists, and 5 steals in 15 minutes of floor time to end on a +12 in the win, the No. 9 has been a crucial part off the bench for Indy. He is stretching the floor with 66.7% beyond the arc, aiding in moving the ball with 5 apg, a threat at the offense with over 57% shooting from the field and 2.7 steals per game. Not to mention, the Thunder would hate to see him go on the charity stripe with a 100% shooting from the free throw line in three games. As for the entire game, let’s break down what happened on the court.

With 10 minutes left in the third quarter, OKC was up 66-64 in what’s been a firecracker of a contest. Chet Holmgren is quietly putting together a strong stat line—15 points on 4-of-7 shooting, 6 rebounds. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, meanwhile, continues to play with surgical precision, dropping 14 points and dishing 4 assists while casually swatting three shots.

But the Pacers are holding their own. Bennedict Mathurin came off the bench looking like he borrowed Stephen Curry’s shooting form, going 5-of-6 and pouring in 14 points in just 10 minutes. And, yes, T.J. McConnell—the alleged non-factor—already had 6 points, 4 assists, and 3 steals in under 10 minutes of play.

And yet, in the middle of this chess match, Doris Burke managed to alienate both fan bases again, with a comment that made it sound like she was watching Game 1 highlights while everyone else was watching Game 3.

Fan Reactions: How is Doris Burke still employed?

Now, buckle up. Because NBA fans didn’t just react—they detonated as one fan wrote, “Why is Doris Burke still employed?” Let’s start with the classic. Some fans called for her to be benched—permanently. But before we toss her headset into the stands, let’s get real about her resume. Burke’s been in the game longer than some current players have been alive. She joined ESPN back in 1991 and has worked her way up. ESPN clearly sees her as a pillar of their coverage, whether or not the fans agree.

Another fan wrote, “Doris Burke’s voice makes my ears bleed.” Oof. Brutal. But let’s address the issue—her voice and tone. Announcers are supposed to move at-home viewers to an arena-like atmosphere just with their energy. However, Reddit has pages dedicated to how “monotone” and “grating” they find her delivery. To many, her cadence feels more like a slow half-court set than a fast break. And when you’re calling games featuring Haliburton no-look dimes and Chet Holmgren putbacks, fans expect a bit more punch. Talking of punch, another fan seconded:

“I’d rather listen to a Chipotle bathroom livestream….” This one came courtesy of a fan who had clearly had enough. And it wasn’t just about tone—it was about accuracy. She’s had a few factual faceplants this postseason, including saying Kristaps Porziņģis looked like he hadn’t played consistent minutes… when he was literally coming off an injury. Then there’s the now-infamous WWII quip during a Rudy Gobert dunk—“I don’t know much about history, but I know the French and German don’t like one another.” Even Mike Breen looked like he wanted to call a timeout.

Add in her confusing free-throw attribution in the WCF—crediting SGA for a trip to the line that belonged to Jalen Williams—and fans are feeling like they’re watching the game on mute and still hearing everything wrong.

One netizen wrote, “Hate Doris Burke and her clear bias against OKC…” If you thought Thunder fans would just let the “free-throw merchant” line slide, you don’t know OKC. Doris dropped that gem during Game 4 of the WCF, repeating a chant fans used to clown their own MVP. Look—calling Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a foul merchant when he’s also hitting 50% from the floor and doing off-ball work is just a lazy narrative. And fans noticed. They accused Burke of leaning too hard into spicy takes without acknowledging the full context—basically doing the commentary version of ISO ball.

To her credit, Doris responded on ESPN’s Communications Podcast, saying, “If multiple fanbases are p*ssed off at me…I’m doing my job.” Sure, but there’s a difference between balanced critique and accidentally turning every mic’d-up moment into a cold take buffet.

Whether it’s mislabeling a player’s impact, tone-deaf references, or just overstaying a broadcast moment like it’s a bad possession clock violation, fans are saying it loud and clear: they want better. Here’s hoping Game 4 gives us a clean game, a tighter commentary, and far fewer moments where fans are left wondering: Did Doris Burke even watch the first half?